rec.autos.simulators

   It does not.  Is that enough of an answer?   GTR is F1c +  rFactor is
F1c + GTR ++  It has many of the same traits, but haven't you been looking
at the muliplayer demo?  They have had much better sucess than either F1c
or GTR online.  The Motor software engine v2.x that will be used in rF is
way beyond even GTR in many areas.  The lighting alone should be worth the
drive.    
  But how will Multi be?  I think the fact we haven't seen tons of posts
complaining about the demo could be a good indication.   The GTR threads
over at RSC are full of online problems.  It seems that the rfactor forums
just aren't raising the same issues.  So we may HOPE it will do ok.  
  I think I can say with 99% certainty, that the Papy Bred  users will be
just a critical of rF as any ISI title, but the fact they have been working
on Multiplayer issues for almost a year certainly is a positive sign.  
   I don't think we will see 40+ online packs, but I think 20+ will be an
attainable goal.  The good news is....we won't have too much longer to sit
around here and speculate.  

   The next great online title 'should' be iRacing from the ex Papy crew.
But they have several major hurdles to overcome before we see their work.
A)  They have never had real time weather.  B) They have lately limited
their physics to one flavor, So multi-class simming will be difficult to
acheive.  C)They have not shown real-time lighting, which rF has already
acheived.  D) they have not ever figured out what to do about wall riding
or wheel to wheel contact.  Things that 'should' have been fixed back in
the N3 days. E) The AI abilities are often either brilliant or incredibly
stupid.  GTR has shown that AI can behave in a manner that simulates great
racing.
  They do know plenty about online community, which is the single greatest
weakness of any ISI product.  And that gives me an excellant reminder to
start a new thread that I have been pondering lately.  :)

dave henrie

Nothing beats LFS S2 for online racing.  Best MP around.

Alanb

True.

rFactor corrects some of the issues related to the "ISI" multi, like the
join pauses, but is, in essence, no better than GTR in that department.

Compare a GTR/rFactor client replay with, say, one of a 30 entries NR2003
race and cringe.

Jan.
=---

Alanb

That would be like someone asking, "Say, how does the Constitution of the
United States protect citizens' rights?

And then someone comes back with,

www.usconstitution.org

If you could answer the guy's question, that would be nice.  I'd like to
hear it myself.

Alanb

At least he gave him a web site to check out.

Elrikk

I've only seen a couple of races in the lobbies where there were 30
people racing, and over the last couple of years, any given race is
lucky to have 10 drivers.  Even after it was new, NR2k3 races typically
had fewer than 20 drivers. If ISI can't do more than 30 drivers online,
it doesn't seem like much of an issue to me.

Big leagues regularly have 30 car races and even on Sierra you occasionally
find full fields at plate tracks. However, I agree capacity is less of an
issue.

I was referring to the actual quality of the replay. If the client has the
computer horsepower for NR2003, he can choose to have all 30 cars in his
replay and, for the most part, it will be possible to accurately follow each
individual participant afterwards.
Compare that to GTR/rFactor where, even with 10 just drivers, there will be
many position updates missing.

Jan.
=---

    I'm getting disheartened again! :(

  If this turns out to be right with the full release......what a joke. What
is the big problem with racing sims and multi?

    Anyone here got much experience in flight sims or the like. Does this
seemingly HUGE problem exist in other similar genres?

    "Presenting rFactor, the new racing simulation series from Image Space
Incorporated. After successfully creating over a dozen products in the past
ten years, Image Space takes the next logical step, creating a completely
new technology base and development process. This new isiMotor 2.0
environment will be the foundation on which to build exciting products for
many years to come."

    Right there on the front page, paragraph 1. That enlighten you a little?

As far as your link goes, that means nothing, coming from the makers or
rfactor.  Of course they are not going to say that their multiplayer is no
better than GTR's.  And rfactor's indication of their running a different
engine, means nothing.

From what I've been able to tell from personal experience,  rfactor's
multiplayer is not very good.  Once again, one only needs to look to those
three guys who made LFS and the game itself, to discover one of the best
multiplayer racing games to come out in quite some time.

Alanb